St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-27

the heart Demand Of these men who think
that Judas would have done better if he had
| sold his Master for 500 pieces of Silver instead
| of thirty and thus put the matter of the he
| trayal into the hands of ''better class of
| men to show,
First-That in the long run high license de.
| creases saloons.
Secondhand decreasing saloons decreases
amount sold.
Thrd-That there is any greater restriction.
Fourth-That the evils of drink are per.
| ceptibiy lessened.
Fifth-That the moral character of the
business is changed.
Sixth-That it is step toward prohibition.
Search their lectures, newspaper articles
and sermons, you will find these facts con-
spicuou by their absence. When offered
they are purely local and transitory, and
furnished by men who believe that it is a
success if you get more revenue. We offer
positive proof to the contrary. Nebraska the
first state in line. The Slocumb law went into
effect June /. 1881; license $1,000 in cities
of the first class; $500 elsewhere. In 1880,
population 452, 402, saloons I,O24, or one to
every AL people; license 81, QUO. In 1885, pop-
uation 1865, saloons 1855, Or one TO every
292 people. High license.
At election held in 1856. Philadelphia cast
15S.375 votes, and had $3.50 saloons, or one to
every 1855 voters; license $50. Chicago cast
10.646 votes, with 5000 saloons, or one TO
every 1872 voters: license $500. The Harper
law of Illinois reduced saloons in spots, but
they increased throughout the state. High
license does not in its own nature increase
saloons, but it offers no barriers TO such in
crease. Why? Because the amount charged
is put into the business and taken out of the
consumer in the one case as in the
other. If the dealer cannot pay the
amount he simply must give place
to another who has sufficient capital
to carry on the business under the new reg
rl.aff~ l. l.
II they did they would stop. What about
Minneapolis? We had under low license
more than 800 saloons. Now $50. They say
''see what high license has done" 1t is pub
Ished everywhere, and high license men
quote 1t. But listen. At the time the high
license ordnance was passed a patrol line
was established, putting four-ffths of the
area of the city under prohibition. Of this
they are silent. Lift the dead-ine and there
would be 6U0 saloons at $500 piece in less
than year. The whole license system is d
refuge of lies. But they say you and the
liquor dealers agree in opposition to high
license. Yes. They for pocket sake; we for
consciences sake. Compromises must fight
us both. This is the case in every great is
sue. The Prohibitionists know what they
want, and the liquor dealers know what they
want. The take-anything-you
people will be ground up between
these millstones. The most dangerous
place in battle is halfway between
the firing lines. We are not of those who are
willing to sell our prohibition birth-right for
mess Of high license pottage. Decreasing
saloons does not decrease the amount of
liquor sold. There is as much liquor drank,
as much crime and as many arrests in Mime
apolis as in st. Paul. The dealers are just as
disrepulable and violations as frequent. The
restriction features of the license law are the
same in either city, and it is Il barefaced as
sumption to say that the laws are or ever
have been hnftar puf0rppH in fitu han in,
the other. High license saloonkeepers are
only low license saoonkeeperS paying higher
for their work of destruction. No evidence
Is produced TO show that the evils Of drink
are perceptibly lessened. 1t is the same
damning curse everywhere. Is the moral
character of the business changed? How can
1t be? The same dealer, the same poison, the
same consumer, the same days AMI nights of
reveiry and debauchery, the same gamblers,
thieves and thugs, the same and greater in
centive to violate law, the same loose admin
lstration. how can paying more
money tone up such business?
Is this step toward prohibition? If so it is
because it is the last eXpedient of Satan to
sustain his whisky Kingdom, and therefore to
be tried before right can prevail. The tardy
scholar said: Il slipped back two steps TO
every one taken, and it made me late" 'How
did you get here at ALP said the teacher.
"Oh, turned and went the other way"
H'ga license leads the other way and is ter
ribly slippery. This question, like all others
OF great moral character. can only be settled
right. High license will do nothing in that
direction. Neither side will be satisfied. Pro-
hibitionists will leave the party from one side
and liquor men from the other. He sits IN
easy who rides the fence without a saddle
You can serve one side by doing right and
the other side by doing nothing. And now,
gentlemen, take this matter under careful
advisement. Above all do not rivet the chains,
already too strong with silver and gold. Do
not increase the bride already too tempting
for municipalities. Do mol pull down corpor-
ate monopolies with one hand and build
liquor monopoly with the other. If the sa-
loon business is to be legaliZed do not deprive
poor man OF its benefits, if there are any.
Rise up like men and do the right thing, and
the wives and mothers of our state will call
you blessed. The prohibition food is only
little way off and is very high. The only life
preserverS warranted are marked, Fright
eousness eXalteth nation, but sin is q re-
proach to any people, Hopefully yours,
w. w. SATTERLEE.